WTEC Excellence Awards Spotlight Economic Impact and Entreprenurial Success

Contact: Brian Enevoldsen, 806-651-8500, brian@wtenterprisecenter.com
Copy by Adam Jiwa, 806-651-8503, adam@wtenterprisecenter.com 

AMARILLO, Texas — The WT Enterprise Center celebrated the accomplishments of the Texas Panhandle’s business community at the annual Entrepreneur Excellence Awards.

The luncheon celebrated local businesses and their economic impact on the community.

Attendees learned about WTEC’s latest economic impact data, which highlights the continued growth and success of the businesses it supports.

“The success of these businesses reflects the strength and resilience of our entrepreneurial community,” said Brian Enevoldsen, WTEC managing director. “By providing tailored support and resources, we empower business owners to drive economic growth and innovation in the Texas Panhandle.”

In 2024, WTEC-supported companies generated $280.6 million in total business revenue, reflecting a 14 percent increase from the previous year’s $245 million.

Capital investments, including equity and loans, rose 66 percent to $36.5 million, up from $22 million in 2023. Payroll increased 13 percent to $58.8 million, compared to $52 million the year before.

While total employment decreased slightly to 983 employees, these figures underscore the ongoing economic contributions of WTEC-supported businesses, reinforcing the organization’s role in fostering sustainable business growth in the Texas Panhandle, Enevoldsen said.

The WTEC, a department of the Paul and Virginia Engler College of Business, serves as an entrepreneur support organization that offers programs, resources, and facilities to startups and entrepreneurs.

Honorees at the Jan. 30 event included:

• The Golden Egg Award: The Texas Manufacturing Assistance Center earned recognition for its role as a partner in the WTEC’s Incubator program, providing businesses in the manufacturing industry with management, technology and operations solutions. TMAC aims to provide economic development centers, chambers and other organizations with impactful workshops, covering topics ranging from leadership and team building to value stream mapping and creative problem solving for process improvements in manufacturing. 
• Client of the Year: Travis Lamance, owner of Haven Aero, was recognized for his outstanding dedication to business growth, innovation and community impact. His leadership and commitment to excellence have driven his company’s success and strengthened the entrepreneurial ecosystem in the Texas Panhandle. In addition, Lamance can be found regularly assisting and supporting the WTEC group coaching program, The Founders Club, and its members .
• The Incubator Member of The Year: Amanda Castillo of BreastFriends, LLC was the first winner of this award. BreastFriends aims to support mothers and infants through expert lactation consulting and maternal-newborn health services. With more than a decade of nursing experience and multiple certifications, including maternal-newborn nursing and tethered oral tissue specialty training, Castillo founded BreastFriends to provide compassionate, evidence-based care to families in the Texas Panhandle.
• Don Taylor Entrepreneur Excellence Award: Daniel Cramer, owner of Austin Hose, was honored for his remarkable leadership, vision, and commitment to innovation. In addition to exporting Amarillo-made products all over the United States, Cramer’s dedication to driving business success while fostering economic growth in the region exemplifies the spirit of entrepreneurship this award represents, Enevoldsen said.

“These individuals’ achievements represent more than just growing businesses,” Enevoldsen said. “They represent job creation, innovation, and contribute to the economic vitality of our region. We’re proud to celebrate their impact and look forward to what they will accomplish next.”

Partnering with and retaining community businesses to improve the quality of life in the Panhandle and beyond is a key component of the University’s long-range plan, WT 125: From the Panhandle to the World.

That plan is fueled by the historic One West comprehensive fundraising campaign, which reached its initial $125 million goal 18 months after publicly launching in September 2021. The campaign’s new goal is to reach $175 million by 2025; currently, it has raised more than $160 million.

About WT Enterprise Center

WTEC is a department of WT’s Paul and Virginia Engler College of Business and works side-by-side with America’s SBDC at WTAMU to support economic development throughout the Texas Panhandle. WTEC provides Panhandle entrepreneurs business coaching, access to facilities, access to capital, and various other trainings and programs to assist them in growing companies with strong leadership. WTEC also aims to provide opportunities for College of Business students to intern in local businesses, showing them the hard work and dedication entrepreneurs must have to be successful. To learn more about the WT Enterprise Center, visit wtenterprisecenter.com or contact info@wtenterprisecenter.com or 806-651-8500.

About West Texas A&M University

WT, a Regional Research University, is redefining excellence in Canyon, Texas, on a 342-acre residential campus, as well as the Harrington Academic Hall WTAMU Amarillo Center in downtown Amarillo. Established in 1910, the University has been part of The Texas A&M University System since 1990. WT, a Hispanic Serving Institution since 2016, boasts an enrollment of more than 9,000 and offers 66 undergraduate degree programs, including eight associate degrees; and 44 graduate degrees, including an integrated bachelor’s and master’s degree, a specialist degree and two doctoral degrees. The University is also home to the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum, the largest history museum in the state and the home of one of the Southwest’s finest art collections. The Buffaloes are a member of the NCAA Division II Lone Star Conference and offers 14 men’s and women’s athletics programs.

Photo: The WT Enterprise Center recently celebrated its 2025 Entrepreneur Excellence awardees. Pictured are, from left, Layke Holmes, marketing director for Texas Manufacturing Assistance Center, Golden Egg Award winner; Travis Lamance, owner of Haven Aero, Client of the Year; Daniel Cramer, owner of Austin Hose, Don Taylor Entrepreneur Excellence Award winner; and Amanda Castillo, owner of BreastFriends, The Incubator Member of the Year.

—WTEC—